Iran's nuke chief to outline Tehran atomic agenda

GEORGE JAHNAssociated Press Published: September 17, 2012 11:03 AM

VIENNA (AP) -- Iran's nuclear chief warns that "terrorists and saboteurs" might have infiltrated the International Atomic Energy Agency in an effort to derail his country's atomic program.

The comment is an unprecedentedly harsh attack on the integrity of the U.N. organization and its probe of allegations that Tehran might be striving to make nuclear arms.

Fereydoun Abbasi also rebuked the United States on Monday in comments to the IAEA's 55-nation general conference.

Iran is determined to continue defying international pressure aimed at curbing its nuclear program and nudge it toward cooperation with the IAEA inspection.

Tehran denies seeking nuclear weapons. Abbasi, an Iranian vice-president whom the agency suspects may have been involved in nuclear weapons research, insists that his country's nuclear program is aimed only at making reactor fuel and medical research.